Named Ni3(HITP), the new MIT/Harvard creation can self assemble and comes complete with a natural band-gap, a property that is non-existent in graphene. While lacking a natural band-gap might not seem like that big of an issue in light of graphene’s other wonderful properties, it does make it difficult to assemble graphene into semiconductors.
However, that shortcoming doesn’t appear to be a problem for the Ni3-based material. In fact, given its band gap and the ability to self-assemble, researchers believe their new concoction could be relatively simple to mass produce.
According to Mircea Dincă, MIT Assistant Professor of Chemistry and lead researcher on the project, the new material may be used to create more efficient solar cells that are tuned to absorb multiple wavelengths of lights. Beyond solar cells, researchers also believe their creation could be used to build an entire class of exotic materials that could be used in applications such as magnetic topological insulators or objects that display Hall effects.
With the appearance of this second 2D supermaterial one has to wonder if this is the beginning of a new era of materials development. Will these new materials dramatically influence what we can create and how our products work? Only time will tell. However, given the new and almost spooky abilities of these new materials, I imagine 21st century technologies will be well served by the supermaterials developed in the century’s first two decades.
Image Courtesy of MIT